The five Pretty Amazing finalists—Lauren, Shannon, Nina, Zoe, and Ann—each dream of being on the October cover of Seventeen. They chose their favorite Seventeen cover of all time for some inspiration!

Lauren's Inspiration: Taylor Swift

Lauren's Inspiration: Taylor Swift

My favorite cover of Seventeen is the June 2008 issue with Taylor Swift on the cover. It was her first time on the cover of Seventeen, and she talks about how country music transformed her from a regular girl into a huge country music star. Taylor Swift is one of my favorite country music artists, but the reason this is my favorite cover is that, beyond being so talented, Taylor Swift is a genuinely nice person. Since becoming famous, she has remained true to herself and hasn’t let the fame get to her.
She writes songs about important issues that teen girls face, and she is an incredible role model for girls. She inspires girls to be passionate about what they believe in, to be themselves and to pursue their dreams! Go Taylor!

Shannon's Inspiration: Dorothy Hamill

Shannon's Inspiration: Dorothy Hamill

My favorite Seventeen cover is the October 1976 issue with Olympic winning figure skater, Dorothy Hamill. More than 30 years later, Dorothy's Seventeen cover continues to be the last with a professional athlete gracing it! As an aspiring professional athlete, I'm extremely inspired by the fact that I could be the first athlete since Dorothy Hamill to be on the cover of Seventeen. Today, girls receive almost $150 million less in athletic scholarship funds each year and have significantly less opportunities in sports than guys. My story is an example not only that girls can exceed in sports but that they can go after their dreams even if the odds are against them. Dorothy Hamill's cover is a timeless piece in Seventeen's history showcasing that girls can achieve great things in sports. I hope I can do the same as Dorothy as well as show that just an average girl from a small town in Ohio can go after their wildest dreams and make them a reality!